Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister and the Bill, which is worthy legislation. Like Senator Tuffy, I hope genuine claimants will not become victims of the Bill.

I was told recently of a case where a person was quoted €1,800 for car insurance. Due to the high nature of the quote he telephoned another company which quoted him €500. He next went to a broker, a group about which Senator Ross has much to say. In fairness to the broker, in this case he said the best he could do was a quote of €1,100, but he suggested that the man get in touch with the company concerned directly. When he did so, the company gave him a quote for €800. Ultimately one company was underwriting the quotes for all these various companies as well as the broker. In many cases it is people who have insurance for a number of years who are being fleeced.

In recent years the extent to which first-time drivers were being fleeced has been exposed, whether they were put on their parents insurance or were insured in their own right. Currently it is those who have policies for a number of years who are being fleeced. Unless people shop around they will be fleeced. I am not sure it will be the case, but I hope the Bill can address some of those issues. Will the Minister convey what I said to his colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment?

Section 34 deals with the provision for the carrying out of functions of the registrar to the Central Criminal Court by the local county registrar or a member of staff of the local Circuit Court office when the Central Criminal Court is sitting at that location. The Courts Service did great work recently in upgrading courts. In some cases, courts are sitting on a full-time basis. Is it the intention of the Minister that the county registrar will have to second a member of his or her staff on a full-time basis to the Central Criminal Court when it is sitting? Will county registrars be allowed additional staff in such cases? I hope the Minister will address this matter.

Sections 35 to 42 address the implications of the Valuation Act 2001 for court jurisdiction in property matters, mainly in so far as the Circuit Court is concerned. That jurisdiction is currently determined by reference to rateable valuation and gives the Circuit Court jurisdiction where the rateable valuation does not exceed €253.95. The Valuation Act 2001 provides for a new valuation system which will more accurately reflect current property values and the courts' jurisdiction needs to be modified to reflect this. These sections change the jurisdiction limit of €253.95 rateable valuation to a market value of €3 million. These sections do not cover the family home. Rateable valuations are set for the country and it is possible to find out what they are.